


Time of Our Lives

by deardream_jpeg



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Coming of Age, Friendship, Growing Up, High School, Humor, M/M, One Shot, Slice of Life, mark is graduating and donghyuck got a plan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 20:37:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20364742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deardream_jpeg/pseuds/deardream_jpeg
Summary: Mark and Donghyuck had been friends for as long as Donghyuck could remember, so for Mark’s senior year in high school he wanted to do something special for him. Something memorable so that Mark wouldn’t forget his high school years when he went off to college. Hence the: “Let’s make Mark’s last year in high school count for something other than studying- plan.”





	Time of Our Lives

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time attempting to write fics haha. Thank you for reading, it means a lot!

So maybe heading towards the library with two trumpets wasn’t such a great idea after all. Mark should’ve known better than agreeing on tagging along with his best friend.

“We’re going to make some memories, stop being such a buzzkill!” Donghyuck says rolling his eyes.

So here they were. Ready to make some memories. In the library, with a trumpet. Each. Not to mention Renjun who was there to “capture the moment” as Donghyuck had said when Mark had noticed the shorter boy holding a camera instead of a trumpet.

Donghyuck always came up with shit like this. It wasn’t anything new. After almost 14 years of friendship he should be used to it by now , but surprisingly enough he wasn’t.

“What are the trumpets for?” Mark questions as he follows the younger boy who was heading deeper into the library.

“Keep your voice down Mark Lee, we don’t want to get thrown out now do we?” It came out as more of a statement than a question.

“Then answer me this, why is Renjun following us with a camera?”

“You have too many questions! Trust me on this will you?” 

Mark rolls his eyes. 

He could just leave. Donghyuck wasn’t really forcing him to be here, yet he didn’t.

“This is perfect!” the younger boy lets out in content as he stops abruptly causing Mark to walk into him. 

They were standing in the far back of the library, this was the place where students went if they wanted some extra peace and quiet. Not that libraries weren’t quiet enough as they were. 

“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing here, and why do we have trumpets? How did you even get these, you don’t have access to the school instruments just because you’re part of the music club” Mark, who still wanted answers to his questions whispers trying not to earn additional angry glances from the students who clearly were annoyed by their presence.

“I told you. We’re here to make some new memories! And are you doubting me? I have contacts Mark, getting my hands on two trumpets was no biggie” Donghyuck replies, far from quietly resulting in at least four people shushing him.

“On the count of five we’re going to play a tune” he continues.

“Wait, What?” this was not making any sense to Mark, yet it was the only thing that actually made sense. 

“One….”

“Hyuck, we’re at the library”

“Two….”

“Stop it”

“Three!!”

And with that the library wasn’t as quiet as it had been three seconds ago. All thanks to Mark and Donghyuck. But the show was short lived. Less than a minute had passed when the two (three if you include Renjun) of them were being thrown out. 

“Names and class? I will have to report this to your home room teachers!!” The librarian hisses, she was anything but entertained. 

Unfortunately for her she was not up for a chase, so when the three boys ran off without answering she could do nothing more than let out a groan in annoyance.

“What the fuck was that?” Mark exhales as they stop to catch their breaths, within a safe distance from the school library.

Donghyuck who was busy laughing didn’t bother to answer Mark.

“Did you get any good shots?” he manages to ask Renjun in between laughs.

“You never told me we were going to run, you’re paying me extra for this! But yes, I got plenty.” Renjun answers.

He was only doing this for the money. And maybe for the possibility of witnessing his friends make fools out of themselves. 

“And that my friend was your first success!” Donghyuck flashes a peace sign at Mark, sounding victorious.

Mark doesn’t respond with words, instead he just looks at his friend with a puzzled expression feeling as if he missed the point.

“Don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunities like this.” Donghyuck adds, trying to wipe off the question mark from the older boy’s face.

It did not work.

“Actually, not _**exactly**_ like this but don’t worry I got this planned out perfectly” 

“Got _**what**_ planned?” Mark was used to his friend’s crazy ideas but he did not see where Donghyuck was going with this.

“The _Let’s make Mark’s last year in high school count for something other than studying_\- plan” Donghyuck replies making it sound like the most obvious thing in the world, ”I know the name is pretty long but it’s a work in process” flashing a smile, feeling proud over himself. 

“Don’t look at me, I’m only here because I’m getting paid to capture this” Renjun defends himself as he catches Mark giving him an evil eye.

“Are you serious? You got us thrown out from the library over some stupid shit like that?” Mark sighs, feeling slightly annoyed now that he will probably never be able to step his foot inside the school library for the rest of the (last) semester.

“WE, got ourselves thrown out of the library and you’re very welcome” Donghyuck corrects.

“This isn’t funny” 

“Don’t lie, I heard you laugh! You’re not a subtle laugher” 

“I was not”

“Whatever you say Mark Lee” Donghyuck shrugs his shoulders. 

“Why are we friends again?” Mark sighs while shaking his head. 

He was soon to be graduating and he really didn’t have time for his friend’s stupid ideas. Focusing on passing all of his classes was tiring enough.

“Because you love me!” the younger one states as he throws his arm around Mark’s shoulder. 

“That’s really sweet guys. I’ll text you the invoice later!” Renjun interjects after putting the camera back into his backpack before walking off.

—

  
  
  
  


Mark and Donghyuck had been friends for as long as Donghyuck could remember, so for Mark’s senior year in high school he wanted to do something special for him. Something memorable so that Mark wouldn’t forget his high school years when he went off to college. Hence the _Let’s make Mark’s last year in high school count for something other than studying-_ plan.

If Donghyuck was to brag, which he was, this plan was a solid twelve out of ten. He knew that Mark would never do anything out of his ordinary school routine if it wasn’t due to him. Donghyuck finds it amusing how easily Mark is persuaded, it was one of his many good points. No matter how stupid of an idea he proposed to his best friend he always tagged along, making sure to voice his disapproval of course, but he had yet to say no to one of Donghyuck’s ideas. 

The trumpet incident was only one of many planned events added in the notebook on which Donghyuck had scribbled _“My greatest ideas so far”._ This notebook contained details on how to sneak into school during night, where to find the storage keys to the music department and how to bribe Renjun to come along and make sure that everything gets caught on camera. In conclusion, a very important book for this project of his. 

“Why do you even bother to do this?” Renjun sits down by the cafeteria table. 

“I told you this before, I wanted to do something special for my best friend who happens to be graduating this year if you have paid the slightest attention.” 

“You’re literally breaking every school rule. How romantic.” Renjun snorts. He was not seeing the point to why Donghyuck had put this much effort into planning this. It was their second year of high school and he had never seen his friend work this hard for any school assignment (or anything) before.

“Eewww——, it’s not supposed to be romantic, it’s meant to be memorable” Donghyuck lets out along with the sounds of fake vomiting.

“Yeah I’m sure Mark will remember having his spotless record ruined just before graduation” this surely didn’t add up well, but it was fun teasing Donghyuck about it.

“I am --- no WE, are doing this for our friend. You know how he is, he needs to lighten up and live a little! We can’t let him graduate without having done nothing but following what says in the books” 

“That’s **_literally_** what you’re supposed to do in school, but whatever you say” Renjun shakes his head, once Donghyuck had made up his mind it was impossible to change it. And besides, the only thing he was supposed to do was take a few pictures, earn a few bucks and that was it.

\----

“Meet me behind the school gym at 9PM tonight” Donghyuck closes his locker turning towards Mark who stares back at him.

“Why?”

“Because I say so” that should be reason enough for Mark to listen to him. In a perfect universe so to say.

Mark crosses his arms over his chest. “This is part of your stupid plan isn’t it?” it was pretty obvious. 

“Maybe, maybe not. Just meet me here at 9PM, ok?” Donghyuck was getting tired of these questions. “Don’t you trust me?”

“No” Mark states without hesitation.

“Ok rude, but don’t be late. See you later Mark Lee!” before Mark had the chance to utter his disapproval, Donghyuck is already half across the school yard. 

“Idiot.” Mark mumbles before closing his locker. 

\---

By the time the clock struck nine the sun had set and the air had become chilly. 

“You’re early” Donghyuck runs up to Mark who’s waiting for him behind the school gym, just as Donghyuck had asked him to. 

“I’m on time” Mark shakes his head. Once again he couldn’t believe he kept agreeing to Donghyuck’s requests. “So what’s the plan?” 

“Someone’s excited!” Donghyuck grins. Teasing the older boy could be considered one of Donghyuck’s many hobbies.

“**_Someone_** wants to go home” 

“We’re going on a ghost hunt” Donghyuck smiles proudly, throwing a flashlight at Mark who unexpectedly catches it, but only barely.

“You said nothing about ghosts?” Renjun who has been staying incognito blurts out.

“Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you” Donghyuck reassures.

Renjun was not a big fan of ghosts for two reasons: one, he actually believes in their existence and two, since they are real he was not a big fan of dying or getting haunted. And absolutely not if it’s a consequence of some stupid graduation plan that Donghyuck had planned. 

“If I die it’s on you” Renjun squints his eyes at Donghyuck who just shrugs his shoulders letting out a ‘fine with me’. 

Donghyuck takes out a keychain filled with at least thirty different keys from the pocket of his jacket and uses one of them to open the back door leading in to the gym. 

“From whom did you steal those keys?” Mark wasn’t surprised anymore. “We’re not breaking into the school Hyuck, close the door and let’s go hunt for ghosts elsewhere!”

“Technically, this isn’t a break in, I have the keys, see” he holds up the heavy looking keychain. 

“Hyuck I’m serious” Mark tries. To no use of course.

“So am I. Now come on before someone sees us out here!” with that he enters the building, followed by an unwilling Mark and a Renjun who tries to convince himself that he’s doing it for the money. 

To no one’s surprise the school is empty during night time. It had gotten even darker outside so the only lights that could be seen came from their flashlights. For the 167th time in Mark’s pretty short life he regrets staying, he should just leave his friend to do stuff like this by himself. 

The three boys tiptoes through the empty hallways, there is no actual reason for them to tiptoe since the school was empty, yet here they were, tiptoeing as quietly as they could. Out of nowhere Donghyuck stops, resulting in Mark walking into him and Renjun into Mark. 

“What?!” Mark whispers sounding very annoyed. There is no reason for him to whisper either but for some reason it felt as if he had to stay as quiet as possible. 

Donghyuck turns around towards the two boys behind him using hand gestures telling them to stay quiet. “I think I heard something” 

“This isn’t funny” maybe Mark was starting to feel really uncomfortable with this whole situation, and not only due to the fact that they had broken into the school during night time. He doesn’t really believe in ghosts but it was hard not to when the setting was straight out of an horror movie. 

“Shhhhh…..” Donghyuck hushes. 

“I will personally kill you if the ghosts don’t” Renjun was not joking. 

“Wait, I think I heard something too….” 

“Mark, I swear to God. This is no time for you to play along with Hyuck’s bullshit” Renjun who was trying his best not to drop everything and leave hiss angrily. 

“I’m serious, it sounds like someone’s whistling” 

Donghyuck, who was surprisingly quiet for once starts to walk deeper down the dark hallway. 

“Hyuck, come back. This is not a good idea” sure he was annoying but Mark doesn’t want to be the reason to why Donghyuck is murdered by a ghost.

Renjun clenches his camera tightly as he suddenly spots something at the end of the hallway where Donghyuck was approaching “GHOST!” 

Mark and Donghyuck quickly turn towards Renjun “RUN!” and following Renjun’s command they run. Faster than they’ve ever run before. Even faster than that time during Mark’s second year in high school when he beat the school’s sprint record. Their steps echo through the empty building mixed with their own screams and the sound of their hearts trying to break through their rib cages. 

What felt like an eternity could be timed to exactly two minutes and thirty two seconds. That was how long it took for them to get back outside and slam the door shut behind them. For safety procedures they kept running until they had come far enough to not see any of the school buildings. 

“What was that?” Donghyuck tries to catch his breath leaning forward resting his hands on his knees. 

“I saw a ghost and saved our fucking lives, that is what that was” Renjun who was just as out of breathe as Donghyuck manages to get out. 

“There is no such thing as ghosts!” Donghyuck shakes his head.

“Then explain what I saw just now then?” this was turning into an argument.

“A janitor? A dog? _**Anything**_ besides a ghost!” 

“You started this saying you heard shit!”

“I was making that up to scare you” Donghyuck admits.

“Mark hyung said that he heard something too, isn’t that right?” Renjun directs the question to Mark who breaks out in laughter.

  


He wasn’t laughing at Renjun, nor Donghyuck. He was laughing at this whole situation, how he (they) just had been breaking into school just because Donghyuck had said so, how the clock was about to turn half past ten and how his mom actually had believed him when he had told her that he was going out to look at the stars, how he minutes ago had thought that he was going to die when Renjun suddenly had shouted ‘ghost’. He was laughing because despite the fact that this whole situation was a pain in the ass, he was actually enjoying himself. 

“Shut up Mark, this isn’t funny!” Renjun punches the older boy over the arm lightly in an attempt to make him stop laughing. 

Donghyuck seizes the moment and snatches Renjun’s camera to snap a few photos (since Renjun clearly was too mentally distracted by this ghost incident to do his job), _if you want something done right, do it yourself_, Donghyuck thinks as he watches the scene unfold through the camera lens. 

Even though tonight didn’t go exactly as planned Donghyuck wasn’t too bummed out about it. Looking through Renjun’s camera roll there were quite a few usable photos, impressive considering the fact that a majority of the time was spent creeping around in a dark hallway. 

Maybe it was moments like these that he was going to miss the most once his best friend graduates . Sometimes it sucks to be a year a part. No matter how hard he tries to catch up with the older boy he was never going to be able to. He was always going to be one step behind, thinking about that made Donghyuck’s heart heavy. Mark graduating only makes it more undeniable, Donghyuck was going to be left behind. Surely Mark wasn’t going to stop being his best friend, nor would they stop seeing each other, but things were going to change and that was impossible to deny. 

“Ok guys, let’s call it a night!” Donghyuck suggests throwing himself at his two friends.

Maybe it was moments like these that Donghyuck was going to treasure the most.

\---

For the first time in the history of Donghyuck’s (seventeen years old) life the school was passing by way too quickly, meaning that Mark was soon to graduate. Fortunately everything, aside from the ghost hunt, had went as planned. Mark had accompanied him on every stupid idea that he had prepared, no matter how big or how small. Renjun had been a great cameraman, which was the least that Donghyuck had expected, considering the fact that a third of his monthly allowance went to him. 

Excluding the trumpet and ghost arrangements Donghyuck had also taken Mark to egg the math teacher’s car, ‘_This is only fair, just think of all the headaches he has given you during these past years?_’, was Donghyuck’s explanation.

Later the same day Mark had left a note that read: _I’m sorry about your car Mr. Kim, I hope this will cover up the costs for going to the car wash_.

In addition to that, another ‘great’ plan involved running through the (nasty) school fountain, skip at least three classes to go out for ice-cream ending up getting detention, all part of the plan of course. Showing up to school wearing regular clothes and not school uniforms getting scolded by the teacher were also one of the things that was added to the list. 

It was less than two weeks left until Mark’s graduation. Donghyuck and Mark had snuck out to the school rooftop skipping math class (again). The sky was clear and the air was chilly but the two boys weren't cold.

“You better not forget me once you leave me here to rot for another year” Donghyuck looks over at Mark, he was being serious. 

Being forgotten and replaced was his biggest fear. Him and Mark had been best friends for as long as he could remember, they were always together, to the point of it getting annoying. Even so, the last thing Donghyuck wants is for things to change.

“Yeah, yeah” Mark waves it off not placing additional thought into the younger’s request.

“I mean it! In a year I’ll catch up with you so don’t you dare replace me Mark Lee!” 

Mark sighs, “Even if I wanted to replace you it would be impossible.” 

“Good!”, Donghyuck is pleased with that answer. 

\---

“Did you finish it?”, Renjun asks quietly trying his best to not disturb the other students who were also gathered in the assembly hall. 

Today was graduation day. 

“Do you expect that little of me? Of course I finished it.” Donghyuck pats the backpack that he was tugging close to him.

“Good, I can’t believe you went through with it.”, Renjun shakes his head.

“Shhhh….. “ Donghyuck hushes as the principal walked out on stage. 

The whole graduation ceremony was way too long and very boring to say the least. Donghyuck had to force himself to stay awake. As he had told Renjun he had finished the project, but only a few hours before it was time to head back to school. Sleep was something that he was lacking but at least he had managed to complete it, and that was what was most important. 

Once the principal had held her speech it was time to call the graduating students up on stage so that they could receive their diplomas. Donghyuck made sure to bring the loudest cheers in the audience when it was time for Mark to accept his. 

After that the principle held one last speech and with that Mark was no longer a high school student. Somehow things felt different and unchanged at the same time. 

“How does it feel to be leaving hell?” Renjun jokes as he gave Mark a hug.

“It feels pretty much the same” the older one laughs.

“Congratulations on graduating” Donghyuck says, causing both Mark and Renjun to give him strange looks.

Typically Donghyuck is the type of person to leave a witty remark or tease his friends without missing a beat. Him uttering the words ‘_congratulations on graduating’ _without any sarcastic undertone in his voice was something out of the ordinary.

“Thanks?” Mark replies with a hint of doubt in his voice, not knowing if he was being played or not.

“Why do you sound like that? I’m sincerely congratulating you!” Donghyuck whines, sounding like his regular self. “Here!” he shoves a homemade scrapbook at Mark who stares back at him in confusion.

“What, Aren’t you going to thank me? Stop staring you dumbass” 

Mark, still confused looks down at the book he just had received reading _“Mark Lee’s high school mess, a compilation_” in bold letters. 

“Open it!” Donghyuck demands, he was ready to receive some praise for his hard work. The amount of time that he had put in making this was beyond expected.

Mark does as he’s told and opens the scrapbook only to be met by photos, mostly of him but Donghyuck is also featured in a lot of them. As he flips through the pages he’s reminded of all the dumb shit that Donghyuck had made him go through. Playing trumpets in the library and running away from the librarian, going on a ghost hunt, skipping class, egging Mr. Kim’s car, everything was here. A feeling of regret showers him, all this had now come to an end and without him even appreciating it. Graduating meant that he would no longer have his best friend forcing him into unnecessary trouble. He would no longer spend lunch breaks shaking his head as Donghyuck complains about how his teachers were being unfair for not giving him A’s ‘_they truly don’t get the concept of A for effort’_. Things that Mark had taken for granted was now ending and the upcoming chapter was going to be written all by himself, and somehow that scared him. 

Looking at all of the pictures he realizes that he was smiling (or laughing) in all of them. The moments he had thought were the most annoying and distracting ones during his senior year were actually the happiest and most memorable times that he had spent during these past years. 

“Mark Lee are you crying?” Donghyuck sounds surprised, sure he was expecting a reaction but he didn’t expected it to be tears. Even if it was happy tears.

“Shut up” Mark quickly wipes away the tears that had escaped. “When did you have time to make this?” he asks looking over at Donghyuck.

“I made it last night” Donghyuck answers shortly trying to make it sound like a piece of cake, hiding the fact that he is currently functioning on two hours of sleep when the making of the scrapbook had taken most of his hours that he was supposed to have spent sleeping.

“Thank you” Mark smiles.

Donghyuck tries to hold back his smile as he lets out “You better wait for me in college, I’ll catch up with you in a year so don’t you dare replace me!”

“How are you supposed to get into college with your grades?” a faint laughter escapes Mark before finishing what he was about to say “And don’t be ridiculous, you’re my best friend. I could never replace you even if I wanted to” 

Donghyuck smiles, that was exactly what he wanted to hear. Well maybe not the part where Mark shaded his grades but he had a point. “Hey, no need to be rude Mark Lee, I just gifted you the greatest graduation present in the history of mankind” 

Change is scary. Donghyuck would rather have Mark taking an extra year in high school than having him leave for some college where he would get new friends. Maybe that was a selfish thought but that was his sincere feelings. 

The two of them join each other in laughter. Things are going to change, not because they want to but because this is a part of growing up. But growing up doesn’t have to mean growing apart and they will make sure of that. Donghyuck would make sure to study hard during his last year to make sure that he would be able to get into the same college that Mark now was heading off to. Even though studying was the thing he hated the most he would do it, for his best friend. And for himself of course, he wasn’t going to be left behind! 

  


“Guys this was really sweet and all but I’m still here” Renjun who had quietly watched this scene unfold lets out while rolling his eyes at the two of them.

“Sorry couldn’t see you down there” Donghyuck beams back.

The smaller boy attacks him putting him in a choke hold causing Mark to burst out laughing once more. 

Things were going to change. But for now they were going to enjoy the rest of their day not caring about what was coming next. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Omg if you’re reading this it means you’ve finished the fic. Thank you so much for having taken the time to read this, it really means a lot to me! Feel free to comment, I would love to hear your opinions on it.
> 
> Once again thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day💚


End file.
